Female genital mutilation: trends, economic burden of delay and basis for public health interventions.

BACKGROUND: The practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) is a health and social problem. Millions of girls and women have undergone FGM or will soon, and more information is needed to effectively reduce the practice. The aim of this research is to provide an overview of the FGM trendlines, the inequality of its prevalence, and the economic burden. The findings shed light on 30-year trends and the impact of the pandemic on planned efforts to reduce FGM which helps with public health interventions. METHODS: Temporal trend analysis, and graphical analysis were used to assess the change and inequality over the last 30 years. We included 27 countries in which FGM is prevalent. We calculated the extra economic burden of delayed interventions to reduce FGM like COVID-19. RESULTS: For the 27 countries analyzed for temporal trendlines, 13 countries showed no change over time while 14 had decreasing trends. Among the 14, nine countries, Uganda, Togo, Ghana, Benin, Kenya, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Chad, and Ethiopia had high year-decrease (CAGR - 1.01 and - 10.26) while five, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Gambia, Djibouti, and Mali had low year-decrease (CAGR>-1 and < 0). Among these five are the highest FGM prevalence similar distribution regardless the wealth quintiles or residence. There is an economic burden of delay or non-decline of FGM that could be averted. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that some countries show a declining trend over time while others not. It can be observed that there is heterogeneity and homogeneity in the FGM prevalence within and between countries which may indicate inequality that deserves further investigation. There is considerable economic burden due to delays in the implementation of interventions to reduce or eliminate FGM. These insights can help in the preparation of public health interventions.

Clinical significance of viral markers testing by ELISA and Individual Donation Nucleic Acid Testing (ID-NAT) for blood screening in blood bank: Single center study in Egypt.

Prevention of transfusion-transmitted viral infections and insurance of safe blood transfusion are the main goals of all blood banks worldwide. Despite the high sensitivity and specificity of currently used enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, viral transmission could still occur during the window period. Introducing viral individual donation nucleic acid testing (ID-NAT) can greatly decrease such risk providing an additional layer in securing blood transfusion. We aimed to assess the clinical significance of viral markers testing by ELISA and ID-NAT for blood screening in the Blood Bank of Suez Canal University Hospital. We studied all donations (2132) collected during a two-months period. Blood donor samples were screened by ELISA and ID-NAT tests for HBV, HCV, and HIV. Serological testing results for HCV by ELISA revealed 2,122 (99.5 %) negative donations compared to 2,131 (99.95 %) negative donations by ID-NAT testing. Of the positive ELISA samples, only one was NAT positive. For HBV ELISA testing, 2,115 (99.2 %) donations were negative, also by ID-NAT testing 2,115 (99.2 %) donations were HBV DNA negative. Out of the negative ELISA samples, two samples were ID-NAT reactive donors which were missed by serology assay being in the window period. HIV ELISA testing revealed negative 2,130 (99.9 %) donations while ID-NAT testing showed 2,131 (99.95 %) negative donations and one positive donation. In conclusion, this is the first study carried out in the Suez Canal and Sinai region, Egypt to assess the importance of ID-NAT implementation. The introduction of ID-NAT in blood banks is an effective method for increasing safety of the blood transfusion.

The burden of HCV among prevalent hemodialysis patients after the National Egyptian HCV Eradication program.

In the first phase of its treatment program, Egypt aimed to treat 250,000 people annually until 2020, thereby reducing the number of viremic patients and limiting hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission. Egypt strives to eradicate HCV and HCV-associated morbidity by 2030. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HCV infection among end-stage renal disease patients and the reasons for non-treatment among those offered free medication. This multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted during the period from November 2022 to April 2023. The study included 500 patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) sessions on a regular basis for more than three months in Dakahlia Governorate. According to patients` medical history, we found that 23.4% of patients had previous HCV infection. Of these, 12.6% received treatment, and 10.8% did not receive treatment due to a variety of reasons. For instance, some patients were unaware of the drug's availability, five patients (1%) feared side effects, 43 patients (8.6%) did not require treatment, and five patients (1%) had other causes as contraindications of drugs, noncompliance and deterioration of health status. In addition, 20.4% of patients were reported to have fully recovered, while 0.8% had a recurrence. After investigations, 1% of patients had positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg), 23.4% positive HCV Ab, and 4.2% positive HCV by the polymerase chain reaction. In conclusion, the low prevalence of HCV among HD patients confirms that HCV infection is not currently a significant health concern among patients on maintenance HD.

Serum microRNA-16 as a potential biomarker for HCV-induced hepato-cellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent cancers in the world. Two risk factors that cause 80-90% of HCC cases globally are chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). The diagnostic value of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in numerous tumors has been described. Our research assessed microRNA-16 (miR-16) as a novel biomarker in patients with HCV-induced HCC. The study included three groups. Group 1 included 55 individuals with cirrhosis caused by liver HCV infection in addition to HCC. Group 2 included 55 individuals with cirrhosis brought on by HCV infection. Group 3 included 55 normal control individuals. Expression of miR-16 in blood was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The mean level of miR-16 was significantly different in the three groups, with group 1 having the greatest value (1.098 ± 0.647), followed by group 2 (1.1035 ± 0.8567) and group 3 (control subjects) having the lowest value (0.3842 ± 0.21485). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that miR-16 had a higher diagnostic value at area under the curve (AUC) of 0.935 than alpha-feto protein (AUC of 0.859) to differentiate between HCC and control subjects. MiR-16 has a sensitivity of 81.82 % and a specificity of 69.09%, to distinguish between patients with liver cirrhosis and HCC patients. Our findings illustrated that circulating miR-16 can be proposed as a marker for detection of patients with HCV-induced HCC.

Isolation and propagation of an Egyptian Theileria annulata infected cell line and evaluation of its use as a vaccine to protect cattle against field challenge.

Tropical theileriosis is an important protozoan tick-borne disease in cattle. Vaccination using attenuated schizont-infected cell lines is one of the methods used for controlling the disease. This study describes the production of attenuated schizont-infected cell lines from Egypt and an evaluation of its use as a vaccine to protect calves against clinical disease upon field challenge. Two groups of exotic and crossbred male calves were divided into vaccinated and control groups. The vaccinated groups were inoculated with 4 ml (1 × 106 cells/ml) of the attenuated cell line. Three weeks after vaccination, calves of both groups were transported to the New Valley Governorate (Egyptian oasis) where they were kept under field conditions and exposed to the natural Theileria annulata challenge. All animals in the control group showed severe clinical signs and died despite treatment with buparvaquone, which was administered after two days of persistent fever due to a severe drop in packed cell volume (PCV). Animals in the vaccinated group became seropositive without developing severe clinical signs other than transient fever. Post-mortem examinations revealed enlarged and fragile lymph nodes, spleen, and liver with necrosis and hemorrhages. These findings indicate that the Egyptian attenuated cell line was successful in protecting both exotic and crossbred animals against tropical theileriosis under field conditions.

Evaluation of apparently healthy Egyptian infants and toddlers on the bayley-III scales according to age and sex.

BACKGROUND: Child development is shaped throughout the first years of life through the interaction of genetics and the environment. Bayley-III is valuably used to determine early developmental delay (DD). The aim of this study was to detect the differences in performance of a sample of apparently healthy Egyptian infants and toddlers on the Bayley-III scales in relation to their age and gender. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. Bayley scales were applied to 270 of the 300 recruited children following the inclusion criteria; to avoid potential risk factors affecting development. Assessment included cognitive, language and motor skills. Engaged children aged 18-42 months were divided into 4 age groups with six-month intervals. RESULTS: Approximately 78.4%, 76.2%, and 72% of the participants had average and above average scores in the cognitive, motor, and language domains, respectively. The language domain was characteristically impacted. The oldest age group (36-42 months) scored the highest means composite scores, while the 2nd group aged 24 - <30 months, scored the lowest means in the three evaluated domains. In general, girls had non-significantly higher composite scores than boys, with a small effect size (d = 0.2-0.4). In the language domain, girls aged 30 to < 36 months scored significantly higher composite scores than boys (p < 0.05), with a medium effect size (d = 0.73). CONCLUSION: The study indicates that the performance of apparently healthy Egyptian children on the Bayley III evaluation differs in relation to age and sex. The most vulnerable age group at potential risk of DD was children aged 24-30 months. Efforts must be directed to investigate the nutritional, physical, psychological and safety needs of this group. Attention must be paid to early childhood intervention programs that stimulate development, especially language development, and they must be tailored on the basis of age and gender. Gender-specific norms may be needed in the evaluation of language development.

Genetic improvement of Egyptian cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) for high yield and fiber quality properties under semi arid conditions.

Between 2016 and 2018, the Agriculture Research Center's Sakha Agriculture Research Station conducted two rounds of pedigree selection on a segregating population of cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) using the F2, F3, and F4 generations resulting from crossing Giza 94 and Suvin. In 2016, the top 5% of plants from the F2 population were selected based on specific criteria. The superior families from the F3 generation were then selected to produce the F4 families in 2017, which were grown in the 2018 summer season in single plant progeny rows and bulk experiments with a randomized complete block design of three replications. Over time, most traits showed increased mean values in the population, with the F2 generation having higher Genotypic Coefficient of Variance (GCV) and Phenotypic Coefficient of Variance (PCV) values compared to the succeeding generations for the studied traits. The magnitude of GCV and PCV in the F3 and F4 generations was similar, indicating that genotype had played a greater role than the environment. Moreover, the mean values of heritability in the broad sense increased from generation to generation. Selection criteria I2, I4, and I5 were effective in improving most of the yield and its component traits, while selection criterion I1 was efficient in improving earliness traits. Most of the yield and its component traits showed a positive and significant correlation with each other, highlighting their importance in cotton yield. This suggests that selecting to improveone or more of these traits would improve the others. Families number 9, 13, 19, 20, and 21 were the best genotypes for relevant yield characters, surpassing the better parent, check variety, and giving the best values for most characters. Therefore, the breeder could continue to use these families in further generations as breeding genotypes to develop varieties with high yields and its components.

Checklist of monogeneans from Egyptian marine fishes, including some newly collected species.

A checklist of 113 monogenean species parasitizing marine fishes (60 species) from different localities in Egypt is provided. The list is supplemented by eight newly collected monogenean species from Red Sea fishes, off Safaga and El-Quseir. Five of these species are new Egyptian records: Calydiscoides euzeti Justine, 2007, Calydiscoides rohdei Oliver, 1984, Lethrinitrema austrosinense (Li & Chen, 2005) Sun, Li & Yang, 2014, Pseudohaliotrema sphincteroporus Yamaguti, 1953, and Pentatres sphyraenae Euzet & Razarihelisoa, 1959. Furthermore, Lutjanus ehrenbergii (Peters), Lethrinus nebulosus (Forsskål), Lethrinus mahsena (Forsskål), Siganus stellatus (Forsskål), and Sphyraena flavicauda Rüppell represent new host records. The current study also lists nine monogenean species from the Gulf of Aqaba for which the coordinates of the sampling localities were not clearly defined, but which could also belong to the Egyptian fauna as the gulf is part of the Red Sea basin. Dactylogyrus aegyptiacus Ramadan, 1983 is transferred to Ecnomotrema Kritsky, 2023 as E. aegyptiacum (Ramadan, 1983) n. comb. Entobdella aegyptiacus Amer, 1990, Polylabroides aegyptiacus Mahmoud & Shaheed 1998, Gotocotyla sigani Abdel Aal, Ghattas & Badawy, 2001, Neohexostoma epinepheli Abdel Aal, Ghattas & Badawy, 2001, Neothoracocotyle commersoni Abdel Aal, Ghattas & Badawy, 2001, Acleotrema maculatum Morsy, El Fayoumi & Fahmy, 2014, Diplectanum harid Morsy, El Fayoumi, Al Shahawy & Fahmy, 2014, and Pseudorhabdosynochus chlorostigma Morsy, El Fayoumi, Al Shahawy & Fahmy, 2014, are considered species inquirendae. Paranaella diplodae Bayoumy, Abd El-Hady & Hassanain, 2007 is considered incertae sedis. Allencotyla lutini El-Dien, 1995 and Lamellodiscus diplodicus Bayoumy, 2003 are regarded as nomina nuda.

The role of polymorphic cytochrome P450 gene (CYP2B6) in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) incidence and outcome among Egyptian patients.

Cytochromes P450 (CYPs) play a prominent role in catalyzing phase I xenobiotic biotransformation and account for about 75% of the total metabolism of commercially available drugs, including chemotherapeutics. The gene expression and enzyme activity of CYPs are variable between individuals, which subsequently leads to different patterns of susceptibility to carcinogenesis by genotoxic xenobiotics, as well as differences in the efficacy and toxicity of clinically used drugs. This research aimed to examine the presence of the CYP2B6*9 polymorphism and its possible association with the incidence of B-CLL in Egyptian patients, as well as the clinical outcome after receiving cyclophosphamide chemotherapy. DNA was isolated from whole blood samples of 100 de novo B-CLL cases and also from 100 sex- and age-matched healthy individuals. The presence of the CYP2B6*9 (G516T) polymorphism was examined by PCR-based allele specific amplification (ASA). Patients were further indicated for receiving chemotherapy, and then they were followed up. The CYP2B6*9 variant indicated a statistically significant higher risk of B-CLL under different genetic models, comprising allelic (T-allele vs. G-allele, OR = 4.8, p < 0.001) and dominant (GT + TT vs. GG, OR = 5.4, p < 0.001) models. Following cyclophosphamide chemotherapy, we found that the patients with variant genotypes (GT + TT) were less likely to achieve remission compared to those with the wild-type genotype (GG), with a response percentage of (37.5% vs. 83%, respectively). In conclusion, our findings showed that the CYP2B6*9 (G516T) polymorphism is associated with B-CLL susceptibility among Egyptian patients. This variant greatly affected the clinical outcome and can serve as a good therapeutic marker in predicting response to cyclophosphamide treatment.

Prevalence, genetic diversity, and antimicrobial susceptibility of Vibrio spp. infected gilthead sea breams from coastal farms at Damietta, Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Vibriosis is one of the most serious bacterial diseases and causes high morbidity and mortality among cultured sea breams. This study was undertaken to track the surveillance of Vibrio infection and its correlation to environmental factors. A total of 115 gilthead sea breams were collected seasonally from a private earthen pond fish farm in the Shatta area of Damietta, Egypt from September 2022 to July 2023. Physicochemical parameters of water were analyzed, and heavy metal levels were measured. The fish samples were subjected to clinical, bacteriological, Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC) fingerprinting, and hematoxylin and Eosin histopathological staining. RESULTS: The results revealed significant variations in the water quality parameters over different seasons, in addition to an increase in heavy metals. Naturally infected fish showed external signs and postmortem lesions that were relevant to bacterial infection. Two dominant Vibrio subspecies of bacteria were identified: V. alginolyticus (205 isolates) and V. fluvialis (87 isolates). PCR confirmed the presence of V. alginolyticus using the species-specific primer collagenase at 737 bp. The highest prevalence of V. alginolyticus was detected during the summer season (57.72%), and the lowest prevalence was observed in autumn (39.75%). The correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between V. alginolyticus and water temperature (r = 0.69). On the other hand, V. fluvialis showed a high prevalence during the autumn season (25.30%) and the lowest prevalence during the summer season (10.56%), where it was negatively correlated with water temperatures (r =-0.03). ERIC fingerprinting showed genetic variation within the Vibrio isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed sensitivity to ciprofloxacin and doxycycline, and resistance to amoxicillin and erythromycin. The multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index values for V. alginolyticus and V. fluvialis ranged from 0.3 to 0.7, with a multi-drug resistance pattern to at least three antibiotics. Histopathological alterations in the affected tissues revealed marked hemorrhage, vascular congestion, and hemosiderosis infiltration. CONCLUSION: This study provides insights into the potential propagation of waterborne diseases and antibiotic resistance in the environment. Ensuring that the environment does not serve as a reservoir for virulent and contagious Vibrio species is a critical concern for regional aquaculture industries. Therefore, we recommend implementing environmental context-specific monitoring and surveillance tools for microbial resistance.

The association of FSCN1 (rs852479, rs1640233) and HOTAIR (rs920778) polymorphisms with the risk of breast cancer in Egyptian women.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most prevalent cancers that contribute to mortality among women worldwide. Despite contradictory findings, considerable evidence suggests that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the FSCN1 and HOTAIR genes may have a causative impact on the development of BC. This case-control study was conducted to evaluate the association of genotype frequency in FSCN1 rs852479, rs1640233, and HOTAIR rs920778 with susceptibility and prognosis of BC, as well as the impact of clinical stages and hormonal features. METHODS AND RESULTS: FSCN1 (rs852479, rs1640233) and HOTAIR (rs920778) were genotyped using TaqMan real-time PCR assay in 200 BC patients and 200 cancer-free controls, all representing Egyptian women. Genotypic analyses in association with clinicopathological factors and disease risk were assessed. As a result, a significant association with BC risk was observed for CC genotype frequency of FSCN1 rs852479 A > C (OR = 0.395, 95% CI 0.204-0.76, p-value = 0.005). However, no significant correlation was detected between the FSCN1 rs1640233 C > T and HOTAIR rs920778 C > T polymorphic variants and susceptibility to BC. Interestingly, CC genotype of FSCN1 rs1640233 was more likely to progress tumor size and lymph node invasion in BC cases (p-value = 0.04 and 0.02, respectively). Moreover, it was revealed that there was a non-significant correlation between the haplotype distributions of FSCN1 rs852479 and rs1640233 and the probability of BC. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the sample size and genetic characteristics of the subjects involved in the present study, our findings indicated that FSCN1 rs852479 may contribute to BC susceptibility in a sample of the Egyptian population.

Chemical, biochemical, and bioactivity studies on some soda lakes, Wadi El-Natrun, Egypt.

Wadi El-Natrun is one of the most observable geomorphological features in the North-Western Desert of Egypt; it contains several old saline and saline soda lakes. This study investigates physicochemical and biochemical characteristics and estimates the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TVC), and bioactivities of sediment, cyanobacteria, and brine shrimp (Artemia salina) in soda lakes, i.e., El-Hamra Lake 1 (H1) and El-Hamra Lake 2 (H2). These soda lakes are unique extreme ecosystems characterized by high pH (> 9.3), high alkalinity, and salinity. Some extremophilic microorganisms are hosted in this ecosystem. The results revealed that the chemical water type of studied lakes is soda-saline lakes according to the calculated percentage sequence of major cations and anions. Sodium ranked first among major cations with an abundance ratio of e% 58, while chloride came first among anions with an abundance ratio of e% 71, and bicarbonate and carbonate occupied the last rank with an abundance of 6%. The biochemical investigations showed that TPC and TVC are present in concern contents of sediment, cyanobacteria, and brine shrimp (A. salina) which contribute 89% of antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activities. Thus, this study helps better understand the chemical and biochemical adaptations in soda lake ecosystems and explores natural sources with potential applications in antioxidant-rich products and environmental conservation efforts.

Genetic and virological characteristics of a reassortant avian influenza A H6N1 virus isolated from wild birds at a live-bird market in Egypt.

The first detection of a human infection with avian influenza A/H6N1 virus in Taiwan in 2013 has raised concerns about this virus. During our routine surveillance of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in live-bird markets in Egypt, an H6N1 virus was isolated from a garganey duck and was characterized. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Egyptian H6N1 strain A/Garganey/Egypt/20869C/2022(H6N1) has a unique genomic constellation, with gene segments inherited from different subtypes (H5N1, H3N8, H7N3, H6N1, and H10N1) that have been detected previously in AIVs from Egypt and some Eurasian countries. We examined the replication of kinetics of this virus in different mammalian cell lines (A549, MDCK, and Vero cells) and compared its pathogenicity to that of the ancestral H6N1 virus A/Quail/HK/421/2002(H6N1). The Egyptian H6N1 virus replicated efficiently in C57BL/6 mice without prior adaptation and grew faster and reached higher titers than in A549 cells than the ancestral strain. These results show that reassortant H6 AIVs might pose a potential threat to human health and highlight the need to continue surveillance of H6 AIVs circulating in nature.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of insulin among diabetic patients and pharmacists in Egypt: "cross-sectional observational study".

BACKGROUND: Diabetes recently has been identified as a growing epidemic. Although insulin's vital role in both types of diabetes, it is considered one of the harmful medications if used incorrectly. In Egypt, effective usage of insulin remains a challenge due to insufficient knowledge of insulin and diabetes management, leading to errors in insulin therapy. As pharmacists are experts in pharmacological knowledge, they are uniquely situated to assess adherence to treatment regimens, the effect of drug therapy, or potential alterations in drug therapy to meet patient goals. To provide effective patient education and counseling, community pharmacists in Egypt should be efficiently knowledgeable about diabetes and insulin. OBJECTIVE: To identify the knowledge, attitude, and practice of pharmacists and patients about insulin. To identify pharmacists' educational preparedness and confidence in counseling diabetic patients. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with two knowledge, attitude, and practice surveys. This study was carried out from September 2016 to February 2023. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with patients, and a paper-based questionnaire was administered to pharmacists. The two questionnaires were adapted from previous studies. RESULTS: A total of 492 patients and 465 pharmacists participated in this study. The mean knowledge score of correct answers among patients and pharmacists was 10.67 ± 1.9 and 15 ± 3.6. Most of the patients and pharmacists had a positive attitude regarding insulin's role in improving health and to better control blood glucose. On the negative side, around half of the patients reported that they believe that regular use of insulin leads to addiction, while only 14.5% of the pharmacists believed that insulin could cause addiction. Self-confidence scores for pharmacists differed statistically with sex, years of experience, and pharmacist's direct exposure to diabetic patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study uncovers considerable deficiencies in patients' and pharmacists' knowledge about insulin therapy. This study also strongly recommends higher education and a more structured pharmacist training schedule.

Immunopathological investigation and genetic evolution of Avian leukosis virus Subgroup-J associated with myelocytomatosis in broiler flocks in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Avian leukosis virus Subgroup-J (ALV-J) is a rapidly oncogenic evolving retrovirus infecting a variety of avian species; causing severe economic losses to the local poultry industry. METHODS: To investigate ALV-J, a total of 117 blood samples and 57 tissue specimens of different organs were collected for virological, and pathological identification, serological examinations, molecular characterization, and sequencing analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first detailed report recorded in broiler flocks in Egypt. The present study targets the prevalence of a viral tumor disease circulating in broiler flocks in the El-Sharqia, El-Dakahliya, and Al-Qalyubiyya Egyptian governorates from 2021 to 2023 using different diagnostic techniques besides ALV-J gp85 genetic diversity determination. RESULT: We first isolated ALV-J on chicken embryo rough cell culture; showing aggregation, rounding, and degeneration. Concerning egg inoculation, embryonic death, stunting, and curling were observed. Only 79 serum samples were positive for ALV-J (67.52%) based on the ELISA test. Histopathological investigation showed tumors consist of uniform masses, usually well-differentiated myelocytes, lymphoid cells, or both in the liver, spleen, and kidneys. Immunohistochemical examination showed that the myelocytomatosis-positive signals were in the spleen, liver, and kidney. The PCR assay of ALV-J gp85 confirmed 545 base pairs with only 43 positive samples (75.4%). Two positive samples were sequenced and submitted to the Genbank with accession numbers (OR509852-OR509853). Phylogenetic analysis based on the gp85 gene showed that the ALV-J Dakahlia-2 isolate is genetically related to ALV-EGY/YA 2021.3, ALV-EGY/YA 2021.4, ALV-EGY/YA 2021.14, and ALV-EGY/YA 2021.9 with amino acid identity percentage 96%, 97%; 96%, 96%; respectively. Furthermore, ALV-J Sharqia-1 isolate is highly genetically correlated to ALV-EGY/YA 2021.14, and ALV-EGY/YA 2021.9, ALV-J isolate QL1, ALV-J isolate QL4, ALV-J isolate QL3, ALV-EGY/YA 2021.4 with amino acid identity percentage 97%, 97%; 98%, 97%, 97%, 95%; respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that ALV-J infection had still been prevalent in broilers in Egypt, and the genetic characteristics of the isolates are diverse.

Cognitive dysfunction, depression and serum level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in Egyptian patients with rheumatoid arthritis / Disfunción cognitiva, depresión y nivel sérico del factor neurotrófico derivado del cerebro (BDNF) en pacientes egipcios con artritis reumatoide

Aim of the work: To evaluate serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in Egyptian patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its relation with cognitive dysfunction. Patients and methods: The study was carried out on 60 RA patients; 30 were active (group A) and 30 were non active (group B); and 30 controls (group C). RA disease activity was assessed via DAS28 tool, cognitive function via The Montreal Cognitive Assessment and depression via the PHQ depression scale. Serum BDNF levels were measured. Results: The mean age in group A was 37.8 (±9.37) years with 83.3% females, in group B was 39.97 (±8.04) years with 86.7% females and in group C was 33.17 (±3.6) years with 93.3% females. Abnormal cognitive functions test was detected in 66.7% of group A, 66.7% of group B, and in 23.3% of group C. There was a statistically significant difference in BDNF serum level between both groups of patients (1.58±0.9ng/ml for group A, 1.81±1.17ng/ml for group B) compared with the control group (3.01±1.25ng/ml, p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between BDNF and both disease duration and cognitive function, also no statistically significant difference regarding cognitive function, depression, and BNDF levels in patients with and without fibromyalgia. At a cut-off value of <2ng/ml, BDNF detected RA patients with cognitive dysfunction with a sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 96.67%. Conclusion: BDNF can be a potential biomarker of cognitive dysfunction in RA patients.(AU)

Objetivo: Evaluar el factor neurotrófico derivado del cerebro (BDNF) en suero en pacientes egipcios con artritis reumatoide (AR) y su relación con la disfunción cognitiva. Pacientes y métodos: El estudio se realizó en 60 pacientes con AR; 30 eran activos (grupo A) y 30 no activos (grupo B); y 30 controles (grupo C). La actividad de la enfermedad de AR se evaluó a través de la herramienta DAS28, la función cognitiva a través de la Evaluación Cognitiva de Montreal y la depresión a través de la escala de depresión PHQ. Se midieron los niveles de BDNF en suero. Resultados: La edad media en el grupo A fue de 37,8 (±9,37) años con 83,3% de mujeres, en el grupo B de 39,97 (±8,04) años con 86,7% de mujeres y en el grupo C de 33,17 (±3,6) años con 93,3% de mujeres. La prueba de funciones cognitivas anormales se detectó en 66,7% del grupo A, 66,7% del grupo B y 23,3% del grupo C. Hubo una diferencia estadísticamente significativa en el nivel sérico de BDNF entre ambos grupos de pacientes (1,58±0,9ng/mL para grupo A, 1,81±1,17ng/mL para el grupo B) en comparación con el grupo control (3,01±1,25ng/mL, p<0,001). No hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre el BDNF y la duración de la enfermedad y la función cognitiva, tampoco hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas con respecto a la función cognitiva, la depresión y los niveles de BDNF en pacientes con y sin fibromialgia. A un valor de corte de <2ng/mL, BDNF detectó pacientes con AR con disfunción cognitiva con una sensibilidad de 80% y una especificidad de 96,67%. Conclusión: BDNF puede ser un biomarcador potencial de disfunción cognitiva en pacientes con AR.(AU)

Assessment of Stx-1A gene polymorphism (rs1569061) in relation to the development of multiple sclerosis in Egyptian patients.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifactorial polygenic disease; results from autoimmune and neurodegenerative processes which lead to multifocal lesions of the central nervous system. Axonal degeneration was found to be prominent in the inflammation period of MS and contribute to the progression of disability. Soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment receptor (SNARE) complex plays a vital role in the release of neurotransmitter by synaptic vesicle fusion. Stx-1A protein (Stx-1A), a major component of the SNARE complex, is widely expressed in brain tissue. This study intended to evaluate the prevalence of the Stx-1A gene polymorphism (rs1569061) in the Egyptian population with MS and to investigate its association with various clinical factors. This study included 65 adult Egyptian MS patients and 35 age- and sex-matched normal control subjects. Diagnosis of MS was made by an experienced neurologist according to revised McDonald criteria. All Patients underwent full history taking, included Age of onset of MS, disease duration, disease course and degree of disability according to the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and family history of neurological diseases. Stx-1A gene polymorphism (rs1569061) genotyping was performed by TaqMan assay based quantitative real time (qPCR) and verified by sanger sequencer. Genotype and allele frequencies of (rs1569061) did not differ significantly between case and control groups. No difference was detected when comparing the genotype frequency and the allele frequency to different disease parameters. Discrepancy of the minor allele frequency (MAF) of Stx-1A gene (rs1569061) between different populations was noted. In conclusion, our study in Stx-1A gene polymorphism (rs1569061) and MS showed that no difference between the patient and control as regards gene frequency and allele frequency. Predicting no association between the studied polymorphism and MS in the Egyptian population. However, discrepancy between different population was noted as regards the MAF for Stx-1A gene (rs1569061).

Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism in Egyptian multiple sclerosis patients.

One of the most common neurological illnesses in the world is multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). MS has both a genetic and an environmental origin. In terms of environmental factors, vitamin D deficiency is one of the most important risk factors and closely connected with gene polymorphisms involved in vitamin D metabolism, transport, or activity. Since vitamin D activity requires a receptor-mediated response, any changes to the vitamin D receptor (VDR) may have an effect on the pathophysiology of the disease. In this study, we aimed to identify the relationship between VDR gene polymorphisms, FokI A>G (rs2228570), ApaI A>C (rs7975232) and BsmI C>T (rs1544410) and MS. FokI, ApaI and BsmI genotypes were determined in 50 patients with relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) and in 50 control subjects. DNA was isolated from blood samples, and then FokI, ApaI and BsmI gene polymorphisms were identified using allelic discrimination real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The distribution of FokI, ApaI and BsmI polymorphisms did not show any significant differences between MS patients and controls. Thus, we concluded that there is no association between the studied VDR gene polymorphisms and MS.

Association between estrogen receptor alpha and aryl hydrocarbon receptor gene polymorphisms in the prognosis of breast cancer in Egypt.

Breast cancer is the most malignant tumor among women in the world. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) might better predict breast cancer prognosis. PvuII (T/C substitution), XbaI (A/G substitution), and aryl hydrocarbon (AhR) (G/A substitution) were evaluated as possible genetic prognostic factors for breast cancer. The aim of the current study was to assess the relation between PvuII (rs2234693), XbaI (rs9340799), and aryl hydrocarbon receptor gene polymorphisms AhR (rs2066853) in breast cancer prognosis. This was a case-control study that included 120 breast cancer patients classified into two groups. The first group included 60 patients with good prognostic factors, and the second group included 60 patients with poor prognostic factors. Blood samples were taken from all study participants to perform the genotyping assay. We found that positive genotypes of PvuII, XbaI, and AhR polymorphisms were strongly associated with better prognostic factors for breast cancer patients, while negative genotypes of PvuII and XbaI were more and significantly prevalent in poor prognostic breast cancer patients. We conclude that PvuII T/C, XbaI G/A, and AhR G/A alleles may be prognostic for breast cancer progression.

Study of the effect of ACYP2 single nucleotide polymorphisms rs843711 and rs843706 in Egyptian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a multifactorial disease with both genetic and environmental factors contributing to its pathogenesis. ACYP2 is a gene that is related to cell differentiation, apoptosis and prevention of malignant tumors. The ACYP2 gene also affects telomere length. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between ACYP2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs843711), and (rs843706) and incidence of HCC in Egyptian HCC patients. The study included 30 patients with HCC and 30 normal controls. Detection of ACYP2 gene SNPs rs843711, and rs843706 in all study participants was done using real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results showed that all participants including HCC patients and controls carried the heterozygous CA (100%) of the rs843706 SNP (p> 0.05). As for the rs843711, 3.3% of HCC patients had the homozygous TT genotype, 46.7% had the heterozygous CT genotype and 50% had the wild CC genotype, while in the control group, 60% had the heterozygous CT genotype and 40% had the wild CC genotype with no significant difference between both groups (p>0.05). We concluded that there was no association between SNPs ACYP2 rs843706 and rs843711 and occurrence of HCC.